Tridentine Mass, Novus Ordo Mass

Whilst I'm not a big fan of the Tridentine Mass and some of the problems with the Novus Ordo may be overstated, you have to wonder why the opposition to the tradition Tridentine Mass is so strong. I think Michael Voris is also right in saying the meal aspect of the Mass should be secondary to the sacrificial aspect of the Mass as seems to be indicated in the Cathechism.

Relationships market after 50 years of the pill

 25th September 2010 – Cardinal George Pell – The Australian
FAR from bringing equality, contraception has redistributed power away from women, says George Pell.
THIS year is the 50th anniversary of the contraceptive pill, a development that has changed Western life enormously, in some ways most people do not understand.
While majority opinion regards the pill as a significant social benefit for giving women greater control of their fertility, the consensus is not overwhelming, especially among women.
A May CBS News poll of 591 adult Americans found that 59 per cent of men and 54 per cent of women believed the pill had made women's lives better.
In an article in the ecumenical journal First Things that month, North American economist Timothy Reichert approached the topic with "straight-forward microeconomic reasoning", concluding that contraception had triggered a redistribution of wealth and power from women and children to men.
Continue reading at The Australian

The Enemy of my Enemies

 By Diogenes | Catholic Culture - August 20, 2010

To be honest with you, I couldn’t get worked up about Bill Donohue’s campaign to persuade the owners of the Empire State Building to light up the tower on the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s birth. 

Yes, it would be nice if the Empire State Building honored Mother Teresa. But if the owners continue to refuse? Outside of Manhattan—and New Yorkers sometimes need to be reminded that there is a world outside Manhattan—no one will know, one way or another. I’m sure Mother Teresa herself doesn’t care. When you’re living in the glow of divine light, the electric kind isn’t likely to produce much excitement.

But if I’m puzzled by Donohue’s insistence on this issue, I’m absolutely flummoxed by the effort by a group of radical-left Catholic organizations to persuade the Empire State Building management not to turn on the lights. Indifference to the issue is quite understandable; there are lots of other more pressing issues on the public agenda. But active opposition to the Catholic League’s campaign—from people who describe themselves as Catholics-- is truly astonishing. This bears investigation.

First let’s take a look at the list of groups that joined in condemning Donohue’s drive:

• Catholics for Choice
• Call to Action
• Chicago Women-Choice
• DignityUSA
• FOSIL
• National Coalition of American Nuns
• New Ways Ministry
• Roman Catholic Womenpriests—USA
• Take Back Our Church
• Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual
• Women's Ordination Conference

This is no ordinary list of Catholic organizations. These are groups that have been officially denounced by the Catholic hierarchy, groups led by people who have incurred formal excommunication, groups dedicated to the promotion of causes that the Church condemns.

Now look at the text of the letter they wrote to the Empire State Building’s management. They aren’t actually arguing against turning on the lights for Mother Teresa; they’re arguing against turning on the lights for Bill Donohue. The groups condemn him as “an attack dog for the radical right, helping to promote its misogynist and homophobic agenda.”

Ah, now I understand. If Bill Donohue wins, these groups lose. And now for the first time, I feel myself getting excited about his light-up-the-Empire-State-Building campaign.

St Mary’s South Brisbane

St Mary's South Brisbane

It’s been more than a year since the departure of Peter Kennedy and his followers from St Mary’s Catholic Church South Brisbane. The following article discusses the issue that ultimately brought the dispute to a head.

BY WHOSE AUTHORITY?...A BISHOP HAS ULTIMATE AUTHORITY IN A DIOCESE

The following article was written by Rev Dr David Pascoe, Associate Professor of St Paul's Theological College at the ACU National Brisbane Campus:

The Second Vatican Council is one authority that has not been questioned in the sad division within the Catholic Church around the standoff between the parish priest of St Mary’s, South Brisbane, and Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane.

On the one hand, Fr Peter Kennedy publically appeals to Vatican II for how St Mary’s is an expression of the council’s teaching.

On the other hand, Archbishop Bathersby grounds his assessment that St Mary’s is not in communion with the Catholic Church on the council’s theology of communion.

For some, of course, the above opposition might be all too easily resolved. My side is in the right; the other is in the wrong! But going beyond this all too simplistic view one way toward some resolution is to go back to the sources and ask the question: what does Vatican II teach on the legitimate authority for the ongoing formation of the Church?
Continue reading at Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane: Media Releases

Vatican paper publishes article on Pope's view of Vatican II :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Vatican paper publishes article on Pope's view of Vatican II :: Catholic News Agency (CNA)

Some how I don't think the views of Pope Benedict are going to change those ageing progressives who hold onto their "Spirit of Vatican II" beliefs. See below such progressives celebrating Mass at their "Call to Action" (USA) annual meeting 2008.